The Green Highways Partnership (GHP) is dedicated to transforming the relationship between the environment and transportation infrastructure. In its nationwide review of green transportation infrastructure, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation found the GHP to be “the primary federal vehicle for encouraging the use of green transportation infrastructure by state and local governments and private industry.” Such a finding says that this effort is not only unique to the nation, but is the only one of its type serving this critical purpose recognized by Congress.

“All of the Federal Government’s greatest achievements in the last half century involved significant amounts of collaboration across sectors.”

Dr. John Bryson, U.MN- On exercising government leadership through collaboration.

The PartnershipThe GHP serves as a voluntary public-private collaborative that advances environmental stewardship in transportation planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance while balancing economic and social objectives. The Green Highways Partnership is supported by an ever growing list of dedicated and experienced partners. However, the partnership would like to recognize the following partners for their considerable financial and staff support:

The GHP was initiated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) out of a realization that building safe, sound transportation systems and protecting and sustaining a clean and healthy environment were not mutually exclusive, particularly in light of their common denominator, serving the “public good.” In 2002 FHWA made the environment a priority when it named environmental stewardship and streamlining as one of its “Vital Few Goals.” Coupled with EPA’s interests in sustainable development, improved regulatory efficiency and accelerating environmental results, the GHP was launched in 2005 as a diverse, public-private partnership, bringing together ideas and strategies for greening our nation’s highways to ensure a sustainable infrastructure – both grey and green. Under the GHP, green highways are not defined by a list of requirements. Green highways are defined by an effort to go “beyond compliance” and leave the project area “better than before” through community partnering, environmental stewardship, and transportation network improvements in safety and functionality. What this means differs from project to project, and location to location. Therefore, the Green Highways Partnership discusses characteristics of a green highway that will integrate transportation functionality and ecological sustainability.